U.S. patent number 5,855,318 [Application Number 08/956,798] was granted by the patent office on 1999-01-05 for interlocking arrangement for panels.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Mead Corporation. Invention is credited to Ronald A. Baxter.
United States Patent |
5,855,318 |
Baxter |
January 5, 1999 |
Interlocking arrangement for panels
Abstract
An interlocking arrangement (10) for panels has a locking tab
(20) having a nose (22) and a base of a first width W.sub.T
including at least one transverse segmented base edge (24) having
have an outermost vane (26) and at least one inner vane (28). The
locking tab is received by a locking slit (30) of a second width
W.sub.S less than the first width of the locking tab.
Inventors: |
Baxter; Ronald A.
(Douglasville, GA) |
Assignee: |
The Mead Corporation (Dayton,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
25498710 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/956,798 |
Filed: |
October 23, 1997 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/198.2;
206/427 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/20 (20130101); B65D 2571/00277 (20130101); B65D
2571/0016 (20130101); B65D 2571/0066 (20130101); B65D
2571/00716 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/00 (20060101); B26D 005/42 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/198.2
;206/140,148,434,15,103.2,427 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
DE 3407348 A1 |
|
Nov 1984 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Shoap; Allan N.
Assistant Examiner: Mai; Tri M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Drew; Michael V.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An interlocking arrangement for panels comprising:
a locking tab extending from an outer edge of a first panel, said
locking tab having a nose and a base, said base having a first
width and including at least one transverse edge segmented into an
outermost vane and at least one inner vane by at least one
segmenting line intersecting said transverse edge and whose
imaginary extension thereof intersecting said outer edge; and
a locking slit disposed within a second panel for receiving said
locking tab having a second width less than said first width such
that as said locking tab is urged through said locking slit at
least one of said outermost vane and said inner vane is urged into
non-coplanar alignment with respect to one another thereby
decreasing said first width and after said base passes through said
locking slit said base reverts to a third width greater than said
second width.
2. The interlocking arrangement of claim 1, said locking slit
having a configuration which promotes non-coplanar alignment of
said outermost vanes and said inner vanes.
3. The interlocking arrangement of claim 2, said configuration
which promotes non-coplanar alignment including a leading edge
which protrudes from adjacent portions of said locking slit
disposed for alignment with said nose such that when said locking
tab is initially urged through said locking slit said leading edge
may overlap said nose.
4. The interlocking arrangement of claim 2, said configuration
which promotes non-coplanar alignment including a leading edge
which protrudes from and lies between adjacent substantially
S-shaped portions of said locking slit disposed such that when said
locking tab is initially urged through said locking slit said
leading edge overlaps said nose and when said base is urged through
said slit adjacent concave and convex portions of said
substantially S-shaped portions overlie adjacent ones of said at
least one inner vane and said outermost vane.
5. The interlocking arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least
one segmenting line is a base cut line.
6. The interlocking arrangement of claim 1, said at least one
transverse edge comprising opposed transverse edges.
7. The interlocking arrangement of claim 6, said locking slit
having a configuration which promotes non-coplanar alignment of
said outermost vanes and said inner vanes.
8. The interlocking arrangement of claim 7, said configuration
which promotes non-coplanar alignment including a leading edge
which protrudes from adjacent portions of said locking slit
disposed for alignment with said nose such that when said locking
tab is initially urged through said locking slit said leading edge
may overlap said nose.
9. The interlocking arrangement of claim 7, said configuration
which promotes non-coplanar alignment including a leading edge
which protrudes from and lies between adjacent substantially
S-shaped portions of said locking slit disposed such that when said
locking tab is initially urged through said locking slit said
leading edge overlaps said nose and when said base is urged through
said slit adjacent concave and convex portions of said
substantially S-shaped portions overlie adjacent ones of said at
least one inner vane and said outermost vane.
10. The interlocking arrangement of claim 6, wherein said opposed
transverse edges are each segmented by at least one segmenting line
into an outermost vane and at least one inner vane and each line
comprises a base cut line.
Description
The invention relates generally to interlocking arrangements for
panels, and more particularly to an interlocking arrangement for
panels wherein a male locking member has a segmented base for
cooperative locking engagement with a narrower locking slit.
In the packaging of articles, particularly the packaging of
multi-paks of articles in wrap-around type cartons, interlocking
arrangements are useful for maintaining closure of the carton about
the articles. It can be appreciated that it is important and would
be useful to have secure interlocking arrangements for panels of
cartons and other items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a locking tab having a segmented
base and a narrower locking slit for receiving the locking tab.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be
apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings,
and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustration of a carton blank including an
interlocking arrangement for panels in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustration showing the locking tab and
locking slit of the interlocking arrangement of FIG. 1 positioned
for engagement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Throughout the drawings the same reference numerals are used to
denote the same features.
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 simultaneously, therein are
illustrated a carton blank C which includes an interlocking
arrangement 10 for panels in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the invention. Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, it is
noted that the carton B with which the interlock arrangement is
illustrated is a wrap-around type carton having closure panels 1
and 5, side wall panels 2 and 4, and top panel 3. Male locking
members 20 extend from one of the closure panels 1 while
corresponding locking slits 30 are formed in the other closure
panel 5. The locking slits are formed along a fold line 31 or other
weakened line in the closure panel 5.
Referring now to both FIGS. 1 and 2, the elements of the locking
arrangements will be discussed in greater detail. In FIG. 2, a pair
of a locking tab 20 and a locking slit 30 are shown in alignment
for engagement. The locking tab 20 consists of a nose 22 and a base
portion. In the preferred embodiment illustrated the base portion
is bifurcated about the point of attachment of the locking tab 20
to the closure panel 1. Thus, what may be referred to as opposed
transverse base portions 24 form the unattached portion of the tab
20 which is opposite the foremost portion of the nose 22. Each base
portion 24 is segmented by segmenting lines 27 into an outermost
vane 26 and at least one inner vane 28. The segmenting lines 27 may
be score lines (such as fold lines) or cut lines which create
weakened or severed boundaries between adjacent vanes 26, 28. Also,
an imaginary extension of each of the segmenting lines 27
intersects the outer edge of the closure panel 1.
The locking slit 30 has a configuration which promotes engagement
of the tab 20 and slit 30. Although the slit could be a simple
linear or curvilinear aperture, in the preferred embodiment the
locking slit 30 consists of several elements. The locking slit 30
has a leading edge 32 for receiving the nose portion 22 of the
locking tab 20. As further illustrated by the preferred embodiment
the leading edged 32 may be disposed between curvilinear segments
which are substantially S-shaped or zig-zagged-shaped. Referring
particularly to FIG. 2 it can be seen that reversely-oriented
segments 36, 38 of the curvilinear segments are disposed such that
they may overlie adjacent vanes 26, 28 of the locking tab 20. For
example, adjacent convex 36 and concave 38 portions are illustrated
by reference lines 16, 18 to be in position to overlie adjacent
vanes 26, 28 when the base of the locking tab 20 is inserted
through the locking slit 30.
In operation, initially the outermost portion of the closure panel
5 is folded to expose the locking slit. The leading edge 32
protrudes outwardly of the slit 30 because of the exposure of the
slit 30. The nose 22 of the locking tab 20 is engaged under the
leading edge 32 of the locking slit 30. Because of this initial
engagement the tab 20 is positioned for insertion into the slit.
The width of the base of the locking tab 20, which is denoted by
the reference characters W.sub.T, is greater than the width W.sub.S
of the locking slit 30. As the locking tab 20 is pushed through the
locking slit 30 the difference in widths W.sub.T, W.sub.S causes
the vanes 26, 28 to be pushed inwardly toward one another.
Consequently, because of this constriction adjacent vanes 26, 28
are displaced to a position where they do not lie in a common
plane. The S- (or zig-zagged-) shaped portions 36, 38 of the
locking slits 30 promote the displacement action. The base of the
tab 20 is thus forcibly decreased to a width sufficient to allow
the base to pass through the slit 30. After passing through the
narrower slit 30, the base attempts to revert to a width W.sub.T
closer to its original width, and in general assumes a width at
least greater than that of the width W.sub.S of the slit 30. The
difference in widths between the width W.sub.T of base of the
inserted locking tab 20 and the width W.sub.S of the slit 30 cause
the locking tab 20 to be firmly engaged by the locking slit 30 and
not easily separated therefrom.
Modifications may be made in the foregoing without departing from
the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. For example, the
vanes 26, 28 may be separated not only by cut lines or fold lines,
but also weakened severance lines such as perforated lines. As a
further example, it is to be noted that the preferred embodiment of
the invention is illustrated with an outermost vane 26 and a single
inner vane 28 on each transverse edge 24 because the invention only
requires that at least one transverse edge 24 be used. However, the
invention encompasses a structure of multiple inner vanes 28. It is
also noted that although the invention has been illustrated and
described with transverse edges 24 lying on either side of the
point of connection of the locking tab 20 to the closure panel 1,
the invention also encompasses a structure of only one transverse
edge 24. Thus, a locking tab 20 having at least one transverse edge
24 is contemplated by and within the scope of the invention. It is
further noted that although the panels 1, 5 upon which the elements
of the interlocking arrangement 10 are illustrated may be
considered bottom panels of the carton shown, use of the
interlocking arrangement 10 with panels that ultimately serve as
top, side, end or other panels that form a closure is encompassed
by and within the scope and spirit of the invention.
* * * * *